Thanksgiving Roundup

I wanted to post a few of the other fun things we did last week:)

Thanksgiving Program

Lauren's preschool invited parents to come to school for a little program.  They have been working on learning a lot of nursery rhymes so we listened to the kids recite a few, heard a Thanksgiving story and had a snack that the kids helped baked.  I know this will be the first of many.

Thanksgiving

When we celebrate the holiday with my side of the family it always rotates from one willing hostess to the next.  Now that my generation is marrying and having kids, it is our turn to start ponying up and my cousin Stephen and his wife Jennifer happily opened their home.  Luckily for Lauren and William, they have two boys close in age.  These cousins had never met, but they were fast friends.

Saturday Night

Our Canadian cousins joined us again this Thanksgiving and took a break from their shopping bonanza (seriously, I'm a rookie compared to them) to join us for dinner and a little night of comedy afterward co-starring their favorite American cousin-in-law!

Billy probably doesn't want me plugging his hobby too much on the blog so I'll stick it way down at the bottom.  This is all I'll say...he is doing a little holiday sketch show and it's hilarious!  Check out gocomedy.net and get your tickets for North By North Pole.

XOXO

Aubrey

William's Room: {DIY} Fabric Pennant Banner

This little boy's room is officially done, though I think I said that last week.  Totally forgetting that I had one last project up my sleeve to show you.  

Being the bad blogger that I am, I didn't take any step by step pictures, but it's simple.

Supplies Needed:

*Fabric

*cardboard to make a template

*kitchen twine

*hot glue

*fabric glue

*ribbon

Steps:

1.  After purchasing all your fabric, you'll want to make a diamond shape template out of cardboard.  The sizing is up to you based on how big you want it.  I used a pen to trace onto the inside of the fabric to make it easier to cut.

2.  After cutting out all of your diamonds, you will want to use an iron to fold the fabric into the triangles.  

3.  I laid out the kitchen twine (don't cut the twine until you have hot glued every triangle) and one by one I hot glued the inside of the crease of each diamond.  

4.  Once complete, I did use fabric glue on the point of each triangle just to seal the two tips together.  I'm sure some would sew the edges to prevent fraying, but that isn't part of my skill set.

5.  Lastly, we hung.  Instead of nailing it into the wall, we used a staple gun.  To hide the staples and add more pop to the banner I tied coordinating ribbon.

This project took me three months to complete.  The actual time spent on the project was probably three hours.  Not including picking out the fabric.

I also wanted to share that my post last week about William's gallery wall was featured today over at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia.  

I'm crazy excited that there were over 200 entries and my little blog was one of the featured posts!  There are some great projects also being featured, be sure to check it out.  

Also sharing with:

Home Stories A to Z

XOXO

Aubrey

First Snow

If you live anywhere near me you woke up to a light dusting on Sunday morning.  When you have two little ones, you wake up to an "IT SNOWED!!!"  Last year, was the mildest winter I've ever seen and not that I'm complaining, but if you were a kid...you were robbed.  It may have been a dusting, but it was William's first time playing in the snow.

Even snow angels can be made in the lightest of snowfall.  

I know the pictures can sometimes paint a more magical experience.  But truth be told, it was freezing and they lasted all of twenty-five minutes!

And in those twenty-five minutes, William's mittens came off once every two minutes.

Mittens or no mittens, he really did love the snow.  He was having a hard time getting around in all the gear...

and all I could think of was this!

"I can't put my arms down."

via

Even though it was short lived, hot cocoa and marshmallows are always a must.  I do hope that this winter will bring some sledding and building snowmen, but be careful what you wish for, right?

XOXO

Aubrey

Black Friday

No, not a post about shopping.  We spent our Black Friday the same way we usually do, parade watching with family and friends.

The girls sat and watched the entire parade and just seemed so happy and into it.

This little parade is a great way to see old friends, especially ones visiting from out of town.  With two kids to take everywhere it's nice that people can find you here.

All the sirens and bands didn't scare Wills either!

And as usual, the highlight for the kids is Santa!  He never disappoints:)

Colin is again growing a mustache to support Movember, which raises awareness and specifically funds prostate and testicular cancer initiatives.  You can donate here to support.

In years past we are usually always in a hurry after the parade to get to the next event of our busy Thanksgiving weekend.  But not this year, we were able to enjoy the rest of the afternoon with our friends...sipping bloody mary's, munching, and dominos!

But since this is a black friday post, I will leave you with one deal.  

Acronym wine.  A $19.99 bottle, on sale at Kroger for $9.99.  But if you buy four or more, it's another $1 off!  Who isn't thankful for good wine, found cheap?

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed the long weekend, I know we did! I'll post some more pictures next week of what else we were up to.

XOXO

Aubrey

William's Room: Gallery Wall

I'm finally getting to share the completed gallery wall in William's room.

Most of it has been done for awhile, but there were a few tweaks to be done to finish it!

I had a vision in my head and while it took a lot longer than I thought to make that vision happen...it did!  Decorating a toddler boy's bedroom isn't easy when you're looking for something that isn't trucks or dinosaurs, but also isn't baby or big boy.  I want the room to grow with him for a few years and felt that patterns and color would do just that!

The green chevron was actually taken from the runner I used at the Stella and Dot party I hosted and the painting was one of the hundred that Lauren has brought home from school.  Both of these could easily be switched out to add a favorite picture or maybe an art project that William may eventually bring home.

You've seen some of the projects months ago:

DIY Shell Art

Fabric Letter

Quote on Canvas

As much as I love pictures, I didn't want this wall to filled with them.  This black and white photo is probably my most favorite picture.  It was taken the day William was born by my mom.  We were leaving for what later became my last OB appointment and I had this feeling it was our last moment as a family of three.

I found the lamp last week at Home Goods at a great price.  The shade is a little girly, but I can easily switch that out down the road.  And the chair was my parents, I'd like to paint it orange or navy, but we are done for now!

I hope it was worth the wait...it was for me!

UPDATE:  I have gotten a lot of pinterest traffic from this post.  You can find a source list for the entire room here!  Enjoy!

Sharing With:

Home Stories A to Z
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Emily A. Clark

XOXO

Aubrey

Girls' Club

 It's what we call our alone time and a title that she actually started using.  The one on one time is important and it goes further than just the two of us.  She needs it with her dad and grandparents too.    

It could be me painting her nails or something as painful simple as her doing my hair.

I could tell last week that she may have needed "girls' club." Lauren had seemed a little jealous that William was getting to hang out with me while she was in school, so we planned a date and went out Saturday afternoon for a special treat.  Deep fried oreos and smoothies at Mae's followed by a little thrifting.  

I too enjoy my girly time.  My mom, to this day will say to always make time for your girlfriends.  And this weekend I got plenty of it!  It started on Thursday night with a Stella and Dot jewelry party and continued all the way until Sunday.  

Jocelyn and Emma came for a visit on Friday and while the kids played she and I went shopping in my closet.  It might look like a mess, but she was styling me using what I already own.  We got to talk fashion and just sit an catch up over a cup of coffee.  She then joined me for an a$$ kicking on Saturday at my gym!  

Saturday night, I was reunited with Beth for some actual face to face catching up!  I really hope we'll see each other over the winter!

Dressed in a Jocelyn original, I went to a Delta Gamma reunion lunch.  It's an annual event that was started a few years ago that I continue to look forward to.  I love seeing old sorority sisters and meeting new ones.  

And this year was extra special, there were three ladies who beat cancer.  

An extra raw, raw for those dee gee's!!  

With Thanksgiving days away, I'm once again reminded just how thankful I am to have so many beautiful ladies in my life.  They all bring something special and unique to the table and I love you all!

XOXO

Aubrey

William's Room: Book Ledge

Did you think you were ever going to see progress?  I know, I know...slowest makeover ever.  But, I'm actually a lot further along then it appears.  The gallery wall is practically complete, I just found a lamp for the nightstand and a few more tweaks and it's ready.  So in the mean time, this spot is complete!

I've seen these photo ledges being used to display books all over pinterest and thought it would be a great addition to William's room to bring in color and fill up a blank wall.  

We purchased this at IKEA for $14.99 and had all the books already on hand!

I also got these boxes at IKEA too.  I can't remember the price, again cheap...and I love the gingham lining inside.  They come with lids but since they are holding his diapers and wipes it didn't make sense to use them.

This area won't always be a changing station, but I think as he grows the ledge will continue to work.  Wills thinks so too.

XOXO

Aubrey

Dad's Day Off

Billy decided to take a much needed and deserved Friday off last week and we enjoyed the morning to ourselves (ie - extra sleep after a late night out) with the kids in school but spent the afternoon at The Henry Ford Museum (visted here) with our neighbors.

I think Billy and William had the most fun and I loved watching them together.  It's amazing how boys will be boys.  He was sooo into this train, and probably could have just watched it go around and around the entire time we were there.

 I zoom right past, but these two just stop and study...must be a boy thing.

They would hardly stop and let me take a picture, best I got.

There is a lego exhibit going on now.  There were crazy lego skyscrapers on display but these kids didn't even notice and were onto the area where they could build their own.

I promise she's smiling:)

We did manage these...fun day!

Thanks for taking the day off.  I know at times it doesn't always feel like a vacation, but I certainly do appreciate the extra help and break for our normal routine!  

XOXO

Aubrey